Make Bread in a Slow Cooker

I told you how much I love the Honey Whole Wheat Bread recipe. But how do you make bread without all the mixing, kneading, rising and waiting? Well, I wanted to make it easier to use for those of us with convenience appliances. This adaptation will integrate a bread machine and a slow cooker. What?! How do you make bread in a slow cooker? Let’s try it together!

Add all ingredients in the order listed (Liquids followed by solids. Always add yeast last.)

Turn the bread machine to the dough setting.

Check the dough after about 5 minutes to make sure that all ingredients are well mixed. The dough should form a ball and cling to the paddle. If the bread is too liquid and spreads across the entire container like a batter, add more flour (1/4 cup at a time) until ball forms. If the flour is not all mixed in or the outside of the ball is covered in flour, add lukewarm water one tablespoon at a time until ball looks doughy instead of dry.

Leave the dough in the machine until the cycle is complete. Do not open the lid. My machine takes 1-1/2 hours to complete the dough cycle. This includes the first rise.

Cover the entire inside surface of your slow cooker with butter or oil.

Remove dough from the bread machine and loosely form a ball. Place in slow cooker and cover with lid.

Turn slow cooker on high.

Check for doneness after 1-1/2 hours.

The bottom of the bread will be brown and the top will be dense and firm.

If the bread still feels soft and doughy on top, replace the cover and leave on high for another 15 minutes. My bread is perfect after exactly 2 hours!

Remove from slow cooker immediately and cool on wire rack.

Notes

Always make sure the water used in yeast breads is not too hot. When in doubt, it’s better for the water to be on the cooler side, more lukewarm. This just means the dough will take a little longer to rise.

My bread is made using the instructions and settings for my bread machine. Please consult your user manual for specific instructions that may be different.

Never leave your slow cooker unattended while in use.

Slow cookers are all designed to be used with liquid. The instructions will invariably tell you to NEVER use the slow cooker without liquids. I do not believe that my slow cooker is adversely affected by baking this very moist bread. However, if you are concerned about voiding your manufacturer warranty you can bake this bread in a soufflé pan over ½ cup of water in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place an appropriate trivet or crumpled balls of foil in the water to suspend your bread pan above the water.

Be careful when you raise the lid so as not to let any of the condensation fall on the bread. You can also loosely cover the dough with greased foil to prevent the drips from affecting the loaf.

This bread is best served cooled for an hour. Hot bread is terrible to slice and almost always seems doughy and soggy. Let it cool and the consistency will be perfect!

You don’t have to use a bread machine to make the dough. You can use a mixer and then simply place the dough in the slow cooker as directed.

You don’t have to use a slow cooker to bake the dough. You can form dough into a loaf on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

This bread has a very soft crust. If you enjoy a crispy crust, place the bread on a cookie sheet. Bake on broil for a few minutes on the bottom rack in your oven.